Skyline

Skyline is a stunning new venue with a spectacular view of Calgary. Owned and operated by Simply Elegant, it’s the ideal location for weddings, private parties corporate events. Discover what Skyline has to offer.

Our Wedding Services

Wedding Planning

We take the time and pay attention when planning your wedding details. Let Simply Elegant design your perfect wedding based on our years of expertise. Our staff includes some one of the most experienced wedding planners in Calgary.

Decorations

Wedding decorations are frequently overlooked yet a perfectly designed decor can express the style of the newlywed couple and wow your guests. We have a range of decor ideas and can help you come up with a customized theme.

Wedding Flowers

Be it centerpieces as entranceway floral arrangement or wedding party bouquets and boutonnieres, our in-house floral department offers the magic needed to make your wedding complete. Florals can add an extra special look and feel to your wedding.

Wedding Catering

Beautiful weddings include planning the details, decorating the venue, flowers for the wedding party and delicious food. We have select packages for you to choose from or you can customize a food menu to suit your preferences.

The Wedding Gallery

Here are a few examples of unforgettable weddings we’ve created. Browse these styles to let us know which one appeals to you. Or let us know what else you have in mind.

What Sets Us Apart

We can handle any unexpected issues efficiently. We can make sure the baker delivers your cake on time and the timing of your wedding is managed for you. From organizing your wedding prior to the day or just on the day – whatever you need we will be there for you.

Communication

Our planning division is in constant contact with our floral, décor and rental divisions as are all in one building minimizing communication challenges.

Expertise

With over 30 years of seasoned wedding experience, our planners bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise of logistics to your wedding.

Collaboration

Planners spend time understanding your unique culture and family traditions with other vendors to ensure your wedding is exactly as you envision. The studio boardroom allows couples the ease of talking to all suppliers like caterers, florists, etc. all in one location.

Budget Management

Your financial records are summarized and kept up to date on all vendors we manage on your behalf.

Detail Oriented

It’s all about the wedding details. We specialize in coordinating the wedding to streamline the complete wedding experience from start to finish.

Design Studio

We are on trend and can advise the latest styles and themes for your wedding.

Wedding Planning Packages

Did you know that weddings can take up to 250 hours of planning? From the moment you decide to marry to the night of your big day, there can be a multitude of details to consider. Simply Elegant is a full wedding service company that provides catering, decorations, flowers and planning services. We even supply entertainment for anything from a harpist to an interactive DJ or band. We have 3 packages for you to choose from depending on your budget and how much you need one of our wedding designers to plan your day. Call us to schedule your free 1-hour wedding consultation today (403) 242-0598!

Ranges from $800 to $1,500 This is the ideal solution for the super organized couple who want to plan and execute their wedding themselves, but require some direction with time lines, preferred vendors and budget development to start them on their way. This wedding package includes:

Planning meeting to discuss your time line, vendors and budget

Rehearsal Day activities

Wedding Day execution of activities

Ranges from $1,800 to $3,500 Perfect for the bride and groom who have the time to do all their own leg work with research, budget development, itinerary, phone calls and contracting of all vendors but require the guidance of seasoned wedding planners. This wedding package includes:

Initial two hour meeting to fully understand your vision, discuss your location and vendor options. You are given the tools to create a realistic budget breakdown and start your time line schedule.

Wedding Preparation Meetings: Five one hour scheduled meetings to answer all your pre-wedding concerns to keep you on track right up to the wedding day including follow-up emails. Venue site visit will be completed by wedding planner early in the planning stages to assess unforeseen challenges.

Vendor Confirmation: We are your wedding day point of contact for suppliers, can perform any vendor final payments, confirm all delivery and pick-up times the day before. We forward all vendors your wedding day schedule, location maps plus emergency contact lists.

Rehearsal Coordination: Two hours are included for the rehearsal. Simply Elegant ensures your wedding party understands and is comfortable with the wedding day and ceremony details. Everyone including the MC receives your wedding day schedule, location maps plus emergency contact lists.

Ceremony Coordination: Two Simply Elegant wedding coordinators orchestrate a seamless wedding day before and after your ceremony. Includes cueing wedding party, music, etc.

Reception Coordination: We coordinate the photo session, ensure ceremony decor is moved to the reception location if necessary. Oversee placement of wedding favors, place cards, centerpieces, lighting and entertainment set up. Simply Elegant is there to support all facets of this special evening. We transfer gifts and money to a predetermined, safe location once everyone is seated for the meal.

Wedding Day Emergency Kit: Designed to remedy wedding day emergencies range from mosquito spray to bobby pins, glo stick for entertaining the fussy flower girl to rainy day umbrellas.

Starts at $4000 This package is meant for the busy couple who prefer to rely on the expertise of a professional wedding planner from beginning to end. Simply Elegant professionals will provide current wedding design trends into every detail of your dream wedding. This wedding package includes:

Full-service management from concept creation to full implementation of the wedding day itinerary.

We manage all the details to provide you with a stunning, seamless and stress free wedding.

Initial two hour meeting to fully understand your vision, discuss your location and vendor options. You are given the tools to create a realistic budget breakdown and start your time line schedule.

Wedding Preparation Meetings: Five one-hour scheduled meetings to answer all your pre-wedding concerns to keep you on track right up to the wedding day including follow-up emails. Venue site visit will be completed by wedding planner early in the planning stages to assess unforeseen challenges.

Vendor Confirmation: We are your wedding day point of contact for suppliers, can perform any vendor final payments, confirm all delivery and pick-up times the day before. We forward all vendors your wedding day schedule, location maps plus emergency contact lists.

Rehearsal Coordination: Two hours are included for the rehearsal. Simply Elegant ensures your wedding party understands and is comfortable with the wedding day and ceremony details. Everyone including the MC receives your wedding day schedule, location maps plus emergency contact lists.

Ceremony Coordination: Two Simply Elegant wedding coordinators orchestrate a seamless wedding day before and after your ceremony. Includes cueing wedding party, music, etc.

Reception Coordination: We coordinate the photo session, ensure ceremony decor is moved to the reception location if necessary. Oversee placement of wedding favors, place cards, centerpieces, lighting and entertainment set up. Simply Elegant is there to support all facets of this special evening. We transfer gifts and money to a predetermined, safe location once everyone is seated for the meal.

Wedding Day Emergency Kit: Designed to remedy wedding day emergencies range from mosquito spray to bobby pins, glo stick for entertaining the fussy flower girl to rainy day umbrellas.

Wedding Menus

Download, print out and keep a hard copy of our menus. Use these as a starting point, but know we can always customize a menu to include your preferences.

You want every last detail to be just right, especially the wedding catering. The food has to be fabulous, from the first canape to the last slice of wedding cake. And the presentation must be perfect. Our chefs will pair your wedding catering menu with your personality. And they can work with you to ensure family traditions and dietary observations meet your expectations. Make your selection from our Simply Elegant menus or consult with our knowledgeable Catering Director about creating an exclusive, Simply Elegant culinary tour de force just for you.

By now, like everyone else, you’ve probably seen the film Crazy Rich Asians – if you haven’t…better go. The wedding scene is unbelievable! Spoiler alert - there’s a stream flowing through the church, which has been decorated to look like a rice paddy in the evening –...

In a multicultural community such as we find in Canada, it is more and more common to find weddings that represent a broad cross section of cultures, ethnicity and traditions. Many young couples today want to honor their families’ cultural heritage or traditions....

When bad weddings happen to good brides, it often comes down to the wedding planning. Many brides vastly underestimate the time it will take to plan and execute their wedding, which can lead to all kinds of stress, conflict, and additional costs. In fact, the average...

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a wedding planner?

A wedding planner is a professional event planner who specializes in weddings. They coordinate and consult with the couple in selecting the venue and complete design of the wedding. They are not a decorator nor a florist.

How much will my planning cost?

Planning is offered on an as needed basis. You can choose to use consulting services at an hourly fee; hire planners for the day of the wedding or use full planning services to take the stress away and plan the whole wedding from start to finish. Out of town services include a travel fee and a per diem for meals and lodging.

Do I need a wedding planner?

Planners offer advice and insight on “what a client doesn’t know that they don’t know!” Most weddings can take up to 250 hours to plan. Book your planner first as they can help you save time and often money with vendors and in negotiations.

How can I save money?

Planners save you time and may negotiate rates on your behalf. They know the preferred venues that will be the perfect fit for your wedding. As venues get booked a year in advance, this should be the first consideration. Next your planner can assist with sourcing and booking the caterer and the church or wedding commissioner. Once these main suppliers are contracted, then they move forward with other suppliers such as the photographer, florist, decorator, entertainment, printer, etc. and can manage each of these vendors.

Are contracts necessary?

Contracts protect you and your vendors. Planners may help you assess vendor contracts as they are a legal document you are agreeing to for your wedding services including payment schedules.

How much will my catering cost?

Depending on many factors, an average wedding can range from $50 – $75 per person depending on a few factors such as whether you add a midnight snack or candy bar.

How can I save money?

Approximately 60% of your wedding expense can be delegated to catering. A low guest count number plus offering a buffet meal is a great start to lowering your catering expense.

Are contracts necessary?

Contracts protect you and your service providers. Read all of the fine print in every vendor contract as it is a legal document and you are agreeing to for specific services they are providing plus a payment schedule.

Why do I need Insurance for catering?

Event cancellation offers protection against the unexpected beyond your control (i.e. flooding) and liquor liability protects you from lawsuits brought against individuals, organizations or companies who offer consumption of alcohol.

Do you have décor packages?

Our décor is as individual and unique as our couples in their selection on their venue choice, theme and colour scheme. Our design studio showroom gives you the chance to view a variety of looks so that you decide on where you want to invest your décor dollars.

How can I save money?

You can do parts of the wedding yourself. Simply Elegant provides rentals of linens, chair covers, centrepieces, backdrops, etc. You can do all of the installation and take down yourself or hire our experienced decorators do it all or just the take down.

Are contracts necessary?

Contracts protect you and your décor providers. Read all of the fine print in every vendor contract as it is a legal document you are agreeing to for specific services they are providing plus a payment schedule.

Can I provide some of the décor?

Some clients want to use vases, ceremony gates and archways, antique prams, etc. in their ceremony. Bring in your specialty décor pieces to our design studio prior to your wedding and our staff will include the décor in the whole look.

How much do wedding flowers cost?

Depending on many factors, an average bride bouquet can range from $150 to $250. Your bridesmaids’ bouquets can be a smaller version or choose a single stem of another flower.

What if my flowers are out of season?

Consider permanent botanicals for flowers that you absolutely must have but are out of season. You can mix these with fresh flowers and no one will ever know!

How can I save money on wedding flowers?

Stay away from wedding dates that are at the peak floral seasons such as Christmas and Valentine’s Day when floral costs are higher. The less number of bridesmaids in your wedding party, the less number of bouquets you will need.

What flower is the least expensive?

Most flowers are flown into Calgary from Vancouver, California, Holland and South America. Our professional florists purchase top quality flowers for your wedding to ensure the quality shows through in your photos. Ask your floral designer what flowers are in season.

Still Have Questions?

Send us a quick email or call us for a chat. We love creating unforgettable weddings.

Visit our Online Store

Be it catering, event rentals, special event products or event florals, you can order it online today. Browse our Online Store, add select items to the cart and submit your order right away. Our staff will respond immediately to confirm your order and organize the delivery for your event.

Wedding Rentals Online

Be it catering, event rentals, special event products or event florals. Browse, add to cart and make your order right through our online store. Our staff will respond immediately to confirm your order and organize the delivery for your event.

Testimonials

Don’t just take it from us, here’s what our clients have to say…

I recently contracted Simply Elegant to do the catering for my wedding and from the first step a year prior and right until the end I was completely satisfied with my service. Peter was incredibly helpful and offered so much advice and let me customize and then change my menu a few times with no problems, he even remembered me mentioning my husband had dietary restrictions and accommodated his needs without being asked. Everyone I spoke with was friendly, professional and very helpful. They day of my wedding with off without a hitch in regards to the role Simply Elegant played. They knew exactly what they were doing and I was able to enjoy my day with confidence that no issues would arise. If you’re looking for catering, definitely choose Simply Elegant.

Jennifer Cunningham

It was wonderful to have Simply Elegant cater our family wedding. I had the pleasure of meeting Sharon and Peter who were very kind, respectful and always ready to answer any of my questions. The food was exceptional and all our guests had only excellent things to say. The staff went above and beyond! Kind to all the guests, very professional and were constantly checking in to make sure we had everything we needed. I would absolutely recommend them to my family and friends. Thank you Simply Elegant for being a part of our special day.

Betty

To the Simply Elegant Team: You made our wedding day special – it meant so much! Thank you to each and all. Your team at our reception and dinner were outstanding, serving and pampering our guests! The tables looked “Simply Elegant” and so many commented on the wonderful dinner.

Lou for Corey & Tara

I just got back from my honeymoon. I am beyond happy with how everything went. The food and service was so amazing and went far above anything I was expecting. Thank you so much again for everything! I think the catering is what made my wedding day all come together. Thanks so much!

Cyla

Dear Peter and Simply Elegant Staff, It was a pleasure meeting you. Thank you so much for such wonderful service and food. I want to say a special thank you to your staff at the wedding. They went above and beyond to make sure everything was taken care of so we could enjoy the wedding. Thank you.

Betty and Neil

Simply Elegant, the name says it all. From start to finish service was executed at a very high standard. Despite the weather Rob, Peter, Jade and the rest of the Simply Elegant team were fabulous in putting things together and seeing it run smoothly for our June 25th event. Great eye for detail and were in tune to what we were looking to achieve. Sharon, “Dame Extraordinaire”. Merci beacoup! Mere hours before our ceremony last minute request were being sent and she was able to make it happen. Words are not sufficient to describe our gratitude nor the the quality of service we received. Whether your event is on a small or large scale these are the people you go to. They make visions a reality.

About Simply Elegant

Calgary’s Premier Hospitality Firm. We are Simply Elegant, an accomplished events and catering company headquartered in Calgary Alberta. We provide expert planning, catering, floral, decor and management services for all kinds of events, including private parties, corporate events, and weddings. We are a multi-divisional hospitality firm that offers a full range of services to meet all your planning needs in one place. We love what we do, and we’d love the opportunity to see how we could make your life easier and your event the best it could be. You could say “We’re in the Business of Events.”

We started as a catering company in 1996. Owner Robert Vidra, a trained chef, came to Calgary determined to open a catering operation that met the specific needs of the business community. He talked to everyone from receptionists to the CEO’s of Calgary’s largest companies, designing a catering company that would best meet the needs of the Calgary culture. The business developed a reputation for providing excellent food, outstanding service and tremendous value. In fact, the service was so good that Simply Elegant’s clients encouraged the company to move into events, because of their unwavering attention to detail. Simply Elegant expanded into events in 2005, adding a nationally recognized, award-winning designer and events planner to the staff. Now, instead of having to deal with a variety of vendors, clients are able to turn over everything to Simply Elegant, right from the early planning through to the decorations, catering, entertainment, execution and clean up.

Our people are what makes the magic possible. Looking for opportunities to join a great company in Calgary? Make sure you check our Careers page.

Robert Vidra

C.E.O and Owner

Robert is a certified chef and has worked in the hospitality industry for over 35 years. He founded Simply Elegant in 1996 and designed each division to complement each other. He named Simply Elegant after Albert Einstein’s theory “if we can describe the universe in a ‘simple but elegant way’ we can understand the universe.” Simply Elegant has prospered due to Robert’s belief and nurturing the staff community. With his leadership Simply Elegant has grown from its humble beginnings as a catering company to a full-range hospitality firm.

Sharon Barwick

Director of Special Events

Sharon is a Certified Special Event Professional (CSEP) and has been a manager with Simply Elegant since 2004 in the roles of operations manager, florist, decorator, wedding and event planner. Prior to Simply Elegant, she owned a successful Vancouver floral and event decorating company. As a key note speaker and educator in the event industry, she has been a member of the International Live Events Association for over 25 years. Sharon is also an educator at Mount Royal University where she teaches the Business of Weddings and Social Events.

Peter Schwarz

Director of Food & Beverage

Peter received his “top drawer” training at the Hotel Management School in Leipzig, Germany and honed his skills during his 8 years at Kempinski Hotels and Resorts, one of the oldest European hotel chains. His previous experience ranges from being a tea expert to an extensive knowledge of Champagne. His calm, professional demeanor is perfectly suited for coordinating large, international catered events to small, intimate dinner parties. Our clients love Peter’s attention to detail and personalized service when it comes to menu selection for their events.

Toni Guffei

Marketing Director

Toni oversees our marketing department from design work and social media programming to implementing other digital and traditional media campaigns for Simply Elegant. With more than 20 years experience in marketing and branding, Toni is also involved in marketing research and ROI estimates. She is experienced in measuring performance indicators for events. Plus she’s been an adjunct professor for 10 years at MRU teaching courses in marketing, research and branding. Toni has a BA in Economics and an MBA in Marketing.

Jason Wareham

Executive Chef

Jason started his career in the hospitality industry in 1997 and graduated from SAIT’s Professional Cooking Program in 2001. Jason has worked his way up from a Garde Manger at well-known hotel chains to the Executive Sous Chef at Fort Calgary before joining our team. Armed with innovative ideas and creative food menus, he sources fresh produce from local suppliers and makes everything in-house from scratch. We’re proud of this work because he’s elevated the Simply Elegant brand with his unique approach to preparing quality food for our customers.

Shelley Clements

Office & Accounting Manager

Shelley is the person behind the scenes keeping us organized by handling both the office and accounting functions. Shelley came to Simply Elegant with over 25 years in the industry where she did everything from being a short order cook, to serving and managing a downtown pub. Ten years of working at the famed King Eddy taught her a great deal about music and, more importantly, people. After 10 years with Simply Elegant, Shelley is a calm force during busy events. She has an eye for detail in our proposals and makes sure all the numbers add up.

Eduardo Cueva

IT Manager

Ed is a P.Eng. and an MBA who graduated from the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Advanced Studies, in Mexico. With over 20 years of Information Technology consulting experience in North and Central America and the Caribbean, Ed is in charge of our Information Network. As part of our team since 2003, Ed has developed our information infrastructure onto a private cloud system which integrates communications, productivity, collaboration, data protection and security. He makes sure all of our internal systems are efficiently managed.

Alexander Zagoumenov

Digital Marketing Manager

Alex has over 10 years experience managing marketing campaignsthrough digital channels such as display, paid search and social media advertising. He previously worked on client accounts including Rolex and Mercedes-Benz USA. Alex has a Bachelor of Management (Marketing) degree and is a certified professional in Google AdWords, Inbound Marketing by HubSpot and Social Media Marketing by Hootsuite. Alex has worked with Simply Elegant for the past 5 years and is responsible for website development and our online marketing.

We Support

We actively listen in order to understand the corporate culture and needs of our clients and create events that reflect their brand and values. We do not believe in “one size fits all.” Rather, we customize events by working collaboratively with our clients. We never take for granted the trust that our clients and vendors put in us. Simply Elegant staff are experts in their field. Numerous employees have enjoyed long-standing careers at Simply Elegant. We value their loyalty and support their continued education. We have established strong, working relationships with our vendors and treat them how we want to be treated. We believe that honesty, integrity and social responsibility are vital to our corporate culture and seek out vendors with similar values. Our future includes caring for the planet and we actively seek ways to lessen our footprint on it. We are mindful of the environment as we design our events.

Leadership starts at the top. It has always been the core principle of Robert Vidra to accept responsibility for all that happens and not blame others; all of our staff follow that same conviction.

We enjoy what we do by creating fun and a little magic.

Our business is not an object but a live entity; we are a community of people who love to work and socialize together.

We believe that change is inevitable and by accepting the evolution of change, we can inspire others.

There is nothing more important than communication.

We are open to accepting constructive criticism.

We accept that each person has strengths and weaknesses; we recognize the strengths of others and minimize their weaknesses by providing support and working as a team.

Success is directly measured by those around you; we cannot be what we are without our staff and vendors – it’s the people we work with that make us great.

Community

Each person is required to work in other departments so they understand the other divisions.

We share in the joys of others and their lives.

We are community minded and give time, money, food and services to the Calgary community.

We believe in doing the right thing even when it is not the easy thing.

We believe business is earned and trust cannot be abused.

Education

Enlightenment through education brings out the best in us.

We give employees company money to go out for dinners and experience new things that make them happy.

Environment

Supporting strong policies since 1996; we did what was right before most people cared.

We recycle, reuse and reduce.

Vendors

We do not take advantage of our vendors; it is through collaborating with them that we can succeed.

Simply Elegant’s Green Initiative

There’s no point being a premiere events and catering company if we’ve run out of planet to live on. So we take our responsibility to the environment very seriously. Here are some of the ways we work towards sustainability:

FOOD

We support and purchase from local food products and suppliers

We use organic vegetables where possible

90% of the meat we purchase is from Alberta, including free range fed chickens and turkeys

25% of all produce we purchase is grown locally in the Pacific NW

90% of the fruit we buy comes from North America

DISPOSABLE PRODUCTS

We provide biodegradable disposable cocktail and lunch plates

We provide “green” cutlery at client’s request

Since 1996, we’ve used chaffing dishes (not tinfoil) for all hot food

We use plastic platters, which are sanitized and reused, instead of disposable ones

Our food is presented on china by request

WE RECYCLE

All cardboard and office paper products

Kitchen cooking oil

Bottles and cans with proceeds being donated to local community groups

We’re glad a healthier environment matters to you too. Thanks for wanting to know more about our green philosophy. We’ll keep striving to find new ways to lessen our footprint on the planet.

About Us

Simply Elegant has been servicing weddings in Calgary since 1996. We are focused on providing exceptional service to our customers whether you’re looking for wedding planning, decorations, flowers or catering. View Our Policies if you have specific questions.

Our Simply Elegant Weddings division is recognized as one of the top wedding planners in Calgary by ThreeBestRated.